Duravit ME by Starck Wall-Hung Toilet

Duravit ME by Starck: Philippe Starck's Modernist Statement at Wall-Hung Tier

The Duravit ME by Starck Wall-Hung Toilet represents Philippe Starck's second-generation collaboration with Duravit — building on the legacy of Starck 1, 2, and 3 with a more refined, more contemporary, more reductively-modernist aesthetic. Where the original Starck collections leaned into bold geometric statements (often controversial in their time), ME by Starck takes the same minimalist DNA but executes it with more restraint: gentler curves on the bowl front, cleaner edge transitions where the bowl meets the wall, and a subtly reduced visual footprint that integrates more quietly into contemporary bathroom designs. This is Starck for buyers who want the design pedigree but prefer their toilet to recede into the room rather than dominate it. The wall-hung form factor is essential to the design — ME by Starck is engineered specifically for in-wall carrier installation (typically Geberit Duofix Sigma 12 or equivalent), and the bowl's underside geometry is finished to designer-quality because in a wall-hung installation, every angle of the bowl is visible from below and side.

WonderGliss Hydrophobic Glaze Standard

ME by Starck ships with WonderGliss glaze as standard — Duravit's hydrophobic surface treatment that causes water and waste to bead and slide rather than cling. The practical benefit over a standard glaze: less cleaning frequency (typically 30-40% reduction in cleaning time), fewer mineral deposits along the rim, fewer streaks in hard-water regions, and a longer-lasting clean appearance between cleanings. WonderGliss is fired into the final glaze layer during the high-temperature kiln process, so it doesn't wear off like aftermarket surface treatments. Duravit's lab testing shows WonderGliss surfaces maintain hydrophobic performance for the life of the toilet under normal use. Combined with the rimless flush channel design, ME by Starck delivers exceptional bowl cleanliness with minimal manual cleaning effort.

Rimless HygieneFlush Design

ME by Starck uses Duravit's rimless HygieneFlush — the bowl interior has no traditional rim ledge where mineral deposits and bacteria typically hide. Water enters the bowl from a precisely-engineered single-channel inlet that distributes the flush around the entire bowl perimeter without the cavity space that makes traditional rimmed toilets harder to clean. This is the same engineering philosophy as Kohler ContinuousClean and TOTO Tornado Flush — the goal is full bowl rinse on every flush with no hidden surfaces where contamination accumulates. The flush volume is 1.28 GPF (or 1.0/1.6 GPF dual-flush depending on regional spec), and the bowl rinse efficacy is rated at MaP 800g+ across independent testing.

Designer Geometry and Proportions

ME by Starck's bowl projection from the wall is 540mm (21.25 inches) — Duravit's standard wall-hung projection that accommodates most US adult anthropometrics comfortably. The seat opening is elongated (closer to 18.5" length than a round 16.5"), the bowl width is 360mm (14.2"), and the floor-to-rim height when paired with a standard Geberit Duofix carrier is approximately 17.5-18 inches (within ADA comfort height range when installed at proper carrier height). The wall-side mounting flange is engineered for precise alignment with Geberit, Schluter, or other compatible carrier systems — no shimming or adjustment required for proper carrier-compatible installations.

Specifications

• Form factor: Wall-hung bowl (carrier system sold separately)
• Bowl shape: Elongated
• Material: Vitreous china with WonderGliss hydrophobic glaze (standard)
• Flush volume: 1.28 GPF (US) / 6 L dual-flush variant available
• Flush technology: HygieneFlush rimless
• Bowl projection from wall: 540mm (21.25 in)
• Bowl width: 360mm (14.2 in)
• Seat compatibility: Duravit ME by Starck soft-close seat (sold separately, $189-$249) or compatible third-party European-spec seats
• Carrier compatibility: Geberit Duofix Sigma 12, Sigma 8, Schluter Fast-Set, or equivalent
• Color options: White Alpin (standard), Matte Black (special order)
• Designer: Philippe Starck (Starck Network)
• Origin: Manufactured in Germany or Egypt depending on regional production

Installation Requirements

ME by Starck requires in-wall carrier installation — this is not a retrofit-friendly toilet for existing floor-drain rough-ins. A typical installation involves:

• Geberit Duofix Sigma 12 carrier frame mounted between wall studs (or to back wall in masonry installations)
• Cold water supply line routed inside the wall to the carrier tank
• 4-inch drainage connection routed through the carrier frame to the building waste line
• Mounting bolts pre-installed on the carrier flange to accept the bowl
• Wall covering (drywall, tile substrate, or stone) finished around the carrier with proper sealing
• Geberit Sigma flush plate installed on the wall after carrier and wall finish are complete
• Bowl mounted to carrier bolts with proper gasket compression
• Final commissioning: water supply on, flush mechanism tested, bowl-to-wall seal inspected

Total installation labor for a complete ME by Starck wall-hung installation runs 4-8 hours of skilled labor (premium service rate), plus drywall finishing and any tile work around the carrier. Installation must be performed by a licensed plumber with wall-hung experience; DIY installation void warranty in most cases.

Care and Cleaning

WonderGliss-treated surfaces respond well to gentle cleaning. Recommended routine:

• Daily/weekly: microfiber cloth + mild dish soap or Method bathroom cleaner — the hydrophobic surface releases most waste with minimal scrubbing
• Monthly deep clean: standard toilet bowl cleaner (Lysol, Clorox) with normal dwell times
• Hard water deposits (rare on WonderGliss): brief CLR or Lime-Away application, 5-minute dwell, scrub with bowl brush, flush
• AVOID: abrasive powders (Comet, Ajax, Bar Keepers Friend), steel wool, pumice stones — these damage the WonderGliss surface treatment
• AVOID: prolonged bleach soaks (overnight) — limit bleach contact to 4 hours maximum to preserve WonderGliss performance

Who Should Specify ME by Starck

• Architects designing premium wall-hung bathroom renovations who want Starck design pedigree with restrained execution
• Homeowners renovating master bathrooms with $25,000+ total budget where the toilet design choice is part of an integrated design specification
• Premium hospitality and high-end residential developments specifying Duravit-Geberit ecosystem for design consistency
• Buyers prioritizing wall-hung aesthetic and easy floor cleaning (no toilet base footprint on the floor)

Who Should Not Specify ME by Starck

• Buyers retrofitting existing two-piece toilet rough-ins (wall-hung requires complete in-wall plumbing rework)
• Budget-constrained renovations under $5,000 total bathroom budget
• DIY installers without wall-hung carrier installation experience
• Rental properties or flip projects where the design premium won't recoup
• Buyers prioritizing warranty over design — Kohler Veil or TOTO Aimes Wall-Hung offer stronger warranty at similar price tier